高中英语综合库概要写作练习题及答案

Birthdays are an occasion for reflection. In the 15 years since its founding in 2004, Facebook has altered America in three notable ways. First, the company has created a virtual “me-economy” where people share their feelings, photos and comments. The company has done this twice: once with its flagship social network, which became the pastime and addiction of college students and high scholars in the mid-2000 and again with Instagram, which is the most popular photo sharing App. It has shaped what it means and feels like to be young.

Second, Facebook has changed attitudes to privacy. The social network thrives through trust. After Facebook was launched, for the first time people felt comfortable sharing intimate details online, including their phone number, relationship status, likes and dislikes, location and more, because they felt they could control who had access to them. Users were vaguely aware that Facebook was starting to make a fortune by inappropriately using this data and selling advertisers access to specific types of users, but they mostly did not object.

Third, Facebook has left a lasting mark on politics. The social-networking firm has become an invaluable tool for politicians seeking office, both through paid advertisements to reach voters and free content that spreads on the social network. “You’d find it difficult to name a politician who’s been elected in the last ten years who didn’t use Facebook,” says David Kirkpatrick, author of The Facebook Effect, a history of the social network.

Can the social-media giant stay as influential in the next 15 years as it has already been? At the risk of being wrong about Facebook again, that seems unlikely. This is partly because its impact has already been so extensive. But it is also because of growing unease with the platform. As with all new technologies, from the printed book to the telegraph, social media can be used both for good and bad.

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